paravanes:meditations

The answer is yes! In John 10:10, Jesus explains part of his mission by making this statement: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,  and have it to the full." This is one of the most important verses in the Bible. In this verse, Jesus draws a contrast between what has happened in much of human history (and in our lives) and what he (Jesus) comes to do about it. Part of what Jesus did as he journeyed with his disciples from the resurrection to the ascension was to heal their broken hearts. Have no doubt: the disciples had broken hearts as they witnessed the arrest, trial, and execution of Jesus. The leader they'd seen perform miracles, debate his divinity with the religious authorities, and explain a plan for a new way of living had been unjustly arrested, tortured, and killed. They were unable to prevent this series of events and it seemed Jesus himself was unable to prevent the events that led to his death. ...

From The Book of Acts, Chapter One: ... I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach   2  until the day he was taken up to heaven,  after giving instructions  through the Holy Spirit to the apostles  he had chosen. 3  After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them  over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.   4  On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:  “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait  for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.   5  For John baptized with [ a ]  water,  but in a few days you will be baptized with [ b ]  the Holy Spirit.” 6  Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore  the kingdom to Israel?” 7  He said to them:  “It is not for you to know the times or dat...

When dreams die, will I still listen for the voice of God?

What is my first response when I face betrayal: revenge or renewal?

How much do I rely upon the praise of others for my optimism and courage?

Dictionary.com defines "lust" as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, lust is defined in the dictionary as "intense sexual desire or appetite, uncontrolled or illicit sexual desire or appetite, a passionate or overmastering desire or craving." As a verb, lust is defined as "to have intense sexual desire, to have a yearning or desire, to have a strong or excessive craving." In Matthew 5:28, Jesus says "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." This is probably one of the most pro-woman statements in Scripture. To the men listening to him, Jesus says if you are looking at a woman and see only the means of satisfying your sexual desires, you've missed it and are in a bad place spiritually. Is lust just about sex? It can be, and often is. Why do so many Christians struggle with lust, or some form of sexual sin based on lust? Much traditional church teaching i...

The cure begins when we accept it's OK to admire the accomplishments and achievements of others without wanting to become that person or erase that person by taking their place in a situation that doesn't belong to us. If you look at your life and feel dissatified, you may be entering the state known as  "divine dissatisfaction." Divine dissatisfaction,  a phrase many of us have heard for several years, is an invitation to growth and personal development.  If you refuse the invitation,  you may slide into that space known as envy. Envy is dangerous because it is supported by a distant, limited- knowledge judgment of another person's  life. Envy is built upon an impossible fantasy of wanting another life we haven't been given and a life we don't fully understand. Even more sadly, envy takes our focus away from personal improvement and moves our focus to resentment of another person. Envy may even turn our resentful energies towards God.  Conside...